Disciples: Liberation

Disciples: Liberation is a turn-based strategy RPG set in a dark fantasy world. As the mercenary Avyanna, you lead a growing group through Nevendaar, make alliances and fight on tactical battlefields. Your choices in conversations determine which factions you help and how parts of the story unfold.

Canadian studio Frima developed the game for Kalypso Media. Instead of a linear campaign map, it combines exploration, quests, a upgradable stronghold and battles with different troop types.

Disciples: Liberation was released on Oct 21, 2021 for PC, PlayStation and Xbox. On the German PlayStation Store, the PS4 and PS5 versions are dated Oct 20. For PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, Oct 21 is listed.

The expansion Paths to Madness was released on Mar 24, 2022. It requires the base game and does not come as a separate standalone platform version.

Disciples: Liberation is natively available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version is available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, among others. The PlayStation standard edition includes the two separate versions for PS4 and PS5. On Xbox, the versions are offered via Smart Delivery.

The PS5 and Xbox Series versions are not simply backward compatible. Both console generations have their own versions, although they may be sold as one shared product in the store.

In battles, Avyanna and her troops move across a grid of hex tiles. Positioning, initiative and the abilities of each unit decide which targets can be reached and when attacks take effect. Melee fighters keep enemies at a distance, while ranged fighters and magic open up other attack options.

Between battles, Avyanna explores the game world, finds items and talks with allies or enemies. Switching between moving across the regions and tactical battles shapes the whole campaign.

The Paths to Madness expansion was released on March 24, 2022. It adds four additional dungeons, new story threads and eight quests. Four more units can be recruited for Avyanna's army, plus four legendary relics.

The content expands the existing campaign. To play, you need Disciples: Liberation on the same platform.

On PC, you need at least Windows 10 (64-bit), 8 GB RAM and a graphics card with 4 GB of video memory. Kalypso lists an Intel Core i5-6402P or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X, a GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380 and DirectX 11. Around 8 GB of storage is planned for installation.

An Intel Core i5-7600K or AMD Ryzen 7 1700, 16 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or Radeon RX 590 are recommended. These details refer to the PC version.

Avyanna fights for the future of Nevendaar as religion, magic and power struggles tear the land apart. A mercenary job grows into a journey through regions whose inhabitants live with the consequences of long-running conflicts. Rather than simply facing clearly identifiable enemies, Avyanna meets groups with competing claims and their own motives.

Conversations and decisions change your relationship with the factions and the development of your companions. According to Kalypso, the game has three acts, numerous side quests and several possible endings. Not every encounter has to end in combat.

Four major factions shape the conflicts of Nevendaar: the Empire, the Legions of the Damned, the Undead Hordes and the Elven Alliance. Each group has its own interests and troop types. Working with them can let you recruit special units and trigger different reactions in the game world.

The army grows during the game to more than fifty different units. Their makeup affects which enemies you can hold off well and how mobile your party stays on the battlefield.

Nine possible companions can support Avyanna during the journey. Each companion brings their own backstory and a place in the party. Friendships and rivalries arise from shared experiences and from decisions made in conversations.

Avyanna can choose one of four classes at the start. Her abilities and the units you deploy allow different focuses between direct attack, support and magic.

Yllian becomes Avyanna's home base. Here you can upgrade facilities, train troops and unlock new options for the army. Returning to the city interrupts exploration and gives you a chance to regroup the party for upcoming tasks.

The upgrade system links the RPG story with the tactical side of the game. It also helps decide which units and abilities are available in later battles.

Disciples: Liberation offers PvP battles for two players online. This mode uses the tactical combat system for direct duels. The narrative campaign around Avyanna, by contrast, is designed for one player.

On PlayStation and Xbox, the online game may require the platform's respective subscriptions. A shared co-op campaign is not listed as a game mode.

The console version is designed for controller play. Frima adapted the menus for analogue stick input and the many choices of the RPG. A virtual cursor makes navigation easier in more complex views.

On PlayStation 5, the control scheme also includes the DualSense controller. The battles themselves remain turn-based, so entering commands under time pressure matters less than precise selection.

Disciples: Liberation offers German text and German voice acting. English and French are also available, among others. The language options differ in some cases between text and spoken audio.

The German version lets you follow dialogue and the game's many story decisions fully in German.